Marine aerial transportation system.



. PATENTED 001'. so, 1906.

J. B. CLARKE.- A MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATIONSYSTBMJ.

APPLICATION IILEDAUG. 27, 190 8.

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' INVENTU/"f,

'J. B. CLARKE.

I MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

- APPLICATION FILED AUG. 2'1, 190s.

PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906.

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'No. 834,871. PATENTED OCT. 30,4906.

J. B. CLARKE;

MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 1110.21, 1900.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3 'PATENTBD 001'. 30 1906.

No. 834,871. '.;J.B. GLARKE. I

MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

APPLIJLTIQN FILED AUG. 27, 1906.

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PATENTED OCT. 30, 1906.

' No. 834,871.' I

. J. B CLARKE. MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

' APPLICATION FILED AUG. 27, 1906.

8 SHEETS-SBEET 6.

WITNESSES;

, PATENTED new. so, 1906. L3. CLARKE. I MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTE APPLICATION EILED'AUG. 27, 1900.

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No. 836871.. 1 PATBNTED ocT. 30,1906."

J. B. CLARKE.

MARINE AERIAL. TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

APPLICATION FILED AUGR'I, 1906 8 SHEETS-SHEET 7 MARINE AERIA J. B. CLARKE.

' PATENTED ocT. so, 1906.

L' TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

uruouxon rmm Ave. 27.1906,

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INVENTOR .system of the'nature indicated and especially UNITED STATES PATENT ornon.

JAMES BRENT CLARKE, OF WASHINGTON. DISTRICT or COLUMBIA,

ASSIGNOR TO INDUSTRIAL MOTOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION or THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

MARINE AERIAL TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed August 27, 1906. Serial No. 332,241.

The object of the invention is to provide a .adapted to be used for the purpose of loading and unloading vessels and floating craft of' all kinds.

i Thesystem may be used to advantage ini such places where vessels on account of shoal water, marsh, sand-bars, or other obstructions cannot near the shore.

It may also be used to advantage for loadif ing' and unloading where wharf facilities aref;

unavailable.

The system cons sts, primarily, of a cable trackway which extends from thevessel to. the shore and back to the vessel. Such a trackway being of a flexible nature and having a positive terminal and a floating termi-- nal is liable to sag or to become slack. To obviate this difiiculty, the vessel is provided with means for automatically taking up any: slack that might occur in the cable-track ways. Suitable cars or carriers'a-re adapted. to travel upon the'said trackway but as such cars or carriers form no part of this invention a. they are not illustrated or described in this? specification. Current-wires extend parallel with-said trackway and are adapted to trans-. mit current to the said cars or carriers for the purpose of propelling'the same. The said I trackway is mounted upon supports, some of i which rest directly upon the bottom of the harbor or upon shoal places traversed by the trackways. Those track-supports located nearest the vessel are mounted upon floats or} pontoons in order that the track in the vicinity of the vessel ma rise and fall with the may be raised vessel, so as to avoid s arp angles of inclination in the trackway. The track-supports .are provided with pivoted rockers of peculiar 1 formation and arrangement. The said track 5 is attached to the rockers in such manner Patented Oct. 30,1906.

2 that the track is retained verticall and laterally by the same, but may move ongitud-inally. Thus the said rockers do not prevent the slack frombeing taken up from the track, At the same time the track at the rockers is bowed under the pivotal points of said rockers, and the welght of the track-supports serves in a great measure to prevent the track from becoming slack. being pivotally mounted will incline or tilt toward an advancing load, and consequently present inclinations thereto, and avoid the Also the said rockers I formation of precipitous sections in the track at the track-supports. the rockers will prevent any tendency .of the cars or carriers to jump the track in passing over the track-supports.

The terminals of the track, which are lo This movement in cated at the vessel and upon the shore, are in v the form of superposed trackways suitably supported and carried aroundin theform of horizontal loops. The said superposed trackways are connected with the main trackway by means of inclined sections which slidably engage rockers mounted uponsupports located upon the shore and the vessel. Thus it is possible to adjust the superposed trackways vertically Without disconnecting the same from the main trackway. Asabove indicated, the said superposed trackways are vertically adjustable.

or lowered in order that they Consequently they may be positioned with proper relationto the M main trackway irrespective of the condition of the tidethat is to say, that as the vessel rises and falls at the tide the superposed trackway carried by the vessel may be raised or lowered in order that the said superposed trackway may be at the proper elevation with relation to the cable-trackway.

With these and other objects in view, as

will appear as the details of the invention are explained, the system embraces the novel arrangement hereinafter pointed out. V

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my system, connecting a vessel with the shore. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the shore end of the system. Fig. 3

is a side elevation of the shore end ofthe system. Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the vessel end of the system. Fig. 5 is a side elevationof a portion of the vessel end of the systern. Fig. '6 is a detail sectionalview of the g act as lateral braces for the of the portion 8 of the pole 1.

rocker used as a connecting means for the main track and the superposed track. Fig. 7 is a sectional view of said rocker disconnected from the superposed track. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of one of the tracksupporting poles with parts in section. Fig. 9 is a side elevation of one of the main track-connecting rockers. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same. Fig. 11 is a side elevation of one of the superposed tracksupports. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the same at rightangles to that shown in Fig. 11, and Fig. 13 is a side elevation of a modified form of track-support.

This system consists of a series of poles 1, which extend from the vessel 2 to the shore. Some of these poles rest upon the bottom of the harbor or water, while others may be located in marshes or rocks, sand-bars, and shore, and those nearest the vessel are mounted u on pontoons or other buoyant supports 3, tl e height of the line being adjusted from shore to vessel to suit the contour of land and water by the use of telescopic poles or supports.

By referring to Fig. 8 the form of cablesupport as used upon a stationary foundation is shown. This support consists of the lower tubular section 4, which is provided at its lower end with a ball 5, which fits into the socket 6. Said socket in turn is provided upon its under side with the pivoted arms 7 7. The said arms are so hinged that they may swing down when the pole is elevated, but they cannotswing up higher than in a horizontal position when the pole is lowered to the ground. Consequently the said arms prevent the said pole from sinking when placed upon a soft bottom, and the said arms pole. The upper portion 8 telescopes into the tubular portion 4. The said portions 4 and 8 are provided '.with the registering perforations 9, which are adapted to receive the bolt 10. Thus the portion 8 may be adjusted longitudinally with relation to the tubular portion 4 and secured in such adjusted position. The isosceles frame 11 is mounted upon the up er end of the pole 1. Said frame is provided in its base with a erforation 12, which receives the portion 8 of the pole, and at its apex with the socket 13, which receives the upper end The up er ends ofthe frames 11 are provided with transverse erforations 14, through which the guy-cab e 15 passes, the said screw 16 being provided for the purpose of impinging the cable 15 in the perforation 14. The yard-arm 17 is attached directly to the side of the frame 11 at its ends supports the current-wires 18 18. The rockers 19 19 are pivotally mounted upon the pins 20, which in turn are screw-threaded into the ends of the frame 11. The friction-roller 21 is journaled upon the pin and the friction-roller 22 is journaled between the depending flanges 23, carried by the rocker 19. The said rocker 19 is provided with the traction-surface 24. The rocker is provided at points near its ends "with the depending flanges 25, between which the friction-rollers 26 are journaled.

At their ends the said rockers are provided with the transversely-exte11dh1g p ates 27, which are held in place by means of the taps 28, screwed upon the ins 29. The cable or trackway passes etween the tractionsurface 24 of the rockers 19 and plates 27 and passes under roller 20 and rests upon the rollers 26 26. The said track 30 extends from the vessel 2 to the shore. The superposed track 31 is mounted upon the deck of the vessel. Said track 31 is adapted to be adjusted vertically by means of the support 32, which enters the sleeve 33. The parts 32 and 33 are secured together by means of the transversely-extending bolt 34. The rocker 35 is mounted upon a support, which in turn is mounted upon the deck of the vessel 2. The said rocker 35 is of the same general configuration as the rocker 19 heretofore described. The said rocker 35, however, is provided in its traction-surface with the elongated slot 36, through which the inclined section 37 of the superposed track 31 passes. The lower end of the irclined section 37 is pivoted to the sliding member 38, which is supported upon the pins 39, carried by the rocker 35. The upper end of the inclined section 37 is pivotally connected to the superposed track 31'.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that as the track 31 as adjusted vertically the member 38 will slide longitudinally upon the pins 39, and thus the difference in the angle of inclination of the section 37 is compensated for. The superposed track 31 describes a loop upon the deck of the vessel 2. The cable 30 engages the poles and rollers of the rocker 35 and then extends down and winds about the periphery of the drum 40. The said cable 30 then extends to the drum 41, which alined with the drum and winds about the periphery of the same. The said cable then passes over the edge of the deck and is provided at its ends with pendent weights 42,'which may be anchors or any other suitable object. The said cable extends from the vessel 2 to the shore, where it passes around a fixed pulley 43 and extends back to the vessel. Both ends of the cable pass around the drums 40 and 41 at the vessel end of the trackway. Both ends of the superposed track 31 connect with the said cable-track 30, as above described. At the shore end the superposed track 44, in the form of a loop, is provided. The said track 44 is supported upon the poles 45 and is connected with the same by means of he arms 46. Both the superposed tracks at the vessel end and shore end of the trackway are roo IIO

' 45 also correspond to the supports 32, lo-

slack in the said movement of the vessel is taken up by thei made .of' inflexible barsf'The track 44 is connected the cable by means of inclined'seotions and the connections similar to that described for section 37 and its immediate attachments. The current-wires 18 extend parallel along the: trackway 30. The said trackway 13.0 is adapted to support any suitable am of carrier, .(not. shown,) and the current-wires 18 .are used for transmit- I ting electric current to the said carriers for the purpose of propelling the same.

By reference to Figs. 11, 12, and .13 of the drawings it will be observed that the arms 46 j are provided at their ends with the caps 47, 1 which are screw-threaded upon the upper ends of the supports .45. The said supports cated upon the vessel 2. The inflexible trackis supported at the .other end of the arm 46. By means of the screw-thread connec-I tion between the .cap 47 and the support the arm 46 may be rotated with relation to f the support 45 and secured, by means of the 1 brace 48, in such relative position as it may be adjusted to.

The operation of the various parts included in the system are asfollows: The floats 3 permit of up-and-down movement of the track j 30 near the vessel, and consequently the portion of the track near the vessel will fol- 1 low the same vertically as the vessel is raised and lowered upon the surface of the water. Consequently sharp angles of inclination in the track in the vicinity of the vessel aref' avoided. Furthermore, the rockers 19, being pivotally mounted upon their respective supports, sharp angles in the trackway are? avoided as the car .or carrier (not shown) ap- 'j 'proaches the s aid rockers in traveling toward :the vessel or toward the shore. As .the trackway 30 is provided at its ends with tensionweights and is wound around the drums 40? and 41 .and extends to the shore, where it passes around the fixed pulley 43, any sag or trackway ,caused by the;

said weights and the trackway is at all times kept taut. The peculiar configuration and arrangement of the .parts of the rockers 19 afford positive retainers for the said track 30 j and .at the same time permit of longitudinal i movement of the said track in order that;

slack occurring in the same may be taken up in the manner above described. 1

It is obvious that one portion of the track L .30 is :to be used for sending cars to the shore, while the other portion of the said track is to i be used for sending cars from the shore to the vessel...

It is also obvious that cargo may be transportedeither from thevessels at the shore or from the shore to the vessel. Also that the]; parts may be easily and readily taken down i and arranged in compact form for transportation upon the vessel from point to point.

' 49, which in turn consisting of track passing consisting of The parts, may also be easily and readily erected into operative positions.

As illustrated in Fig. -2 of the drawings, the shore ends of the current-wires 18 are connected together by means of the cross-bar is attached to the rod 50, said rod being attached at its other end to a ground-anchor 52 .and being provided at an intermediate point with a turnbuckle 51.. By means of said turnbuckle 51 any slack-oc-' curring in the wires 18 may be taken up.

However, any other suitable means may be employed for taking .up the slack in the current-wires 18.

Having described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters 3 Patent, is

1. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated trackway extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, drums mounted upon the vessel, said track passing around said drums and pend .ent weights attached to the ends of the track.

the character described an elevated trackway extending from a-vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, drums mounted upon the vessel, said around said drums and pendent weights attached to the ends of the track and hanging over the sides of the vessel.

3. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated trackway extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, alined'drums mounted upon the vessel, said track passing around the alined drums and pendent weights attached to the ends of the track. I

4. A. system of the character .described an elevated trackway extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, .alined drums mounted upon the vessel, said track passing around. the .alined drums and pendent weights attached to the ends of the track and hanging over the deck of the vessel.

5. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated trackway extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed rigid track mountedupon the vessel and con necting with the first said trackway, and

2. A system of .IIO

means for adjusting said superposed track vertically.

6. A system of the character as described Y consisting of an elevated trackway extending from a vessel to the shore and backto the vessel, a superposed rigid track mounted upon the vessel and connected with the first said track, and means for adjusting said su,

1 perposed track vertically.

7. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated trackway extending froma vessel to the shore, a tensionweight attached directly to the track and pendent'ly suspended upon the vessel.

8. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, tension-weights attached directly to the ends of the trackway, and pendently suspended upon the vessel.

9. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed rigid track mounted upon the vessel, a rocker mounted upon the vessel and connecting the superposed track with the first said track.

10. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, a superposed track mounted upon the vessel, rockers mounted upon the vessel and connecting the superposed track with the first said track.

11. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed track mounted upon the vessel, a rocker mounted upon the vessel and connecting with the first said track, said superposed track having sliding connection with said rocker.

12. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed track mounted upon the vesse means for adjusting said superposed track vertically, a rocker mounted upon the vessel and being connected with the first said track, said superposed track having sliding connection with said rocker.

13. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, a superposed track mounted upon the vessel, rockers mounted upon the vessel and. connecting with the first said track, said superposed track having at its ends sliding connection with said rockers.

14. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore and back to the vessel, a superposed track mounted upon the vessel, means for adjusting said superposed track vertically, rockers mounted upon the vessel and connecting with the first said track, said superposed track having at its ends sliding connection with said rockers.

15. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, a track mounted upon the vessel, a rocker mounted upon the vessel and connecting the terminals of said tracks together. a

16. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from avessel to the shore, a vertically-adjustable track mounted upon the vessel, a rocker mounted upon the Y terminals of said tracks together.

17. A systemof the character described consisting of an elevated track extending vessel and connecting the means for applying tension to said from a vessel to the shore, a track mounted upon the vessel, a rocker mounted upon the vessel and having sliding connection with both said tracks.

18. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore superposed tracks located at the shore and upon the vessel, rockers located upon the vessel and upon the shore and connecting the terminals of the said track together.

19. A system of the character described consisting of an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, superposed tracks located at the shore and upon the vessel, rockers located upon the vessel and upon the shore and slidably connecting the ends of the said tracks together.

20. In a system of the character described, a flexible track, track-supports, rockers pivoted upon said supports, said rockers passing over the track and having traction-surfaces.

21. In a system of the character described, a flexible track, track-supports, rockers pivoted upon said supports, said flexible track bowing under the rocker-pivots, said rockers having traction-surfaces.

22. In a system of the character described, a flexible track, track-supports, rockers pivoted upon said supports, said rockers extending over the track and having traction-surfaces, said track bowing under the intermediate portions of said rockers.

23. In a system of the character described, an elevated track, poles for supporting the same, isosceles frames having at their bases perforations which receive the poles, and at their apexes sockets which receive the upper ends of the poles, and means located at the ends of the said frames for attachment with the said track.

2 1. In a system of the character described, an elevated track, poles for supporting the same, isosceles frames having at their bases perforations which receive the poles, and at their apexes sockets which receive the upper ends of the poles, means located at the ends of the frame for attachment with the said track, and a wire-supporting yard-arm attached to said frame.

25. In a system of the character described, an elevated track, poles for supporting the same, isosceles frames having at their bases perforations which receive the poles, and at their apexes sockets which receive the upper ends of the poles, and rockers pivoted to said frame and engaging the track.

26. A system of the character described comprising an elevated flexible track connecting a vessel with the shore, and a plurality of track-supports extending from the vessel to the shore and each provided with track.

27. A system of the character described comprising an elevated flexible track connecting a vessel with the shore, track-supports resting upon solid foundations and sustaining the track from a point near the vessel to the shore, and track-supports restin upon 5 floating foundations near the vesse, said track-supports being each provided with means for applying tension to said track.

28. A system of the character described comprising an elevated trackway connecting a'vessel with the shore, track-supports located in or upon the water and extending from the vessel to the shore, and means mounted on each track-support for applying tension to said track.

29. system of the character described consisti' g of track-supports extending from a vessel to the shore, an elevated track suspended from said supports, and means carried by each support for applying tension to said track, said tension means permitting longitud'nal movement of said track.

30. A system of the character described comprising track-supports extending from a vessel to the shore, an elevated track suspended from said supports, and tension devices for said track pivotally mounted on each support.

31. A system of the character described comprising track-supports extending from a vessel to the shore, an elevated track suspended from said supports, and tension devices secured to each track-support and provided with traction-surfaces.

32. A system of the character described comprising track-supports extending from a vessel to the shore, tension devices carried by each track-support, and an elevated track suspended from said tension devices.

33. A system of the character described comprisin track-supports extending from a vessel to t e shore, tension devices mounted on said track-supports, and an elevated track loosely suspended from said tension devices,

whereby longitudinal movement of the track is permitted.

34; A system of the character described comprising an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed track on the vessel having a sliding engagement with said elevated track, and a traction-surface bridging said sliding connection.

described 35. A system of the character comprising an elevated track extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed track on the vessel having a sliding engagement with said elevated track, and a tension device for said elevated track and bridging said sliding connection.

36. A system of the character described comprising an elevated flexible track extending from a vessel to the shore, a superposed track on the vessel joinin said elevated track, and a tension device %or said flexible track bridging the point of union of said tracks.

37. A system of the character described ing from a vessel to the shore, a superposed track on the vessel joining said elevated track, means for adjusting said superposed track vertically, and a tension device for said flexible track bridging the point of union of said tracks.

38. A system of the character described comprising an elevated track, track-supports, floating bases for said track-supports, and

comprising an elevated flexible track extendtension devices for said track carried by said track-supports. I

p In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES BRENT CLARKE.

I Witnesses:

CLAUDE T. THOMBURG, G. W. BALLOOH. 

